The Best Buy test that I observed used the New York Times in portrait mode—I specifically asked them to test that as I read it regularly. Most customers and even the Best Buy sales people could *not* tell the difference between a Retina and non-Retina iPad!

This is hardly the difference between a horse-and-buggy and the automobile. That analogy might be apt if the change had been from the old 16-pound “portable” Kaypro word processor to today’s iPad—but that’s *not* what we’re comparing!

Certainly, many people could never go back to using a non-retina screen—but that doesn't mean that *everyone* or even *most* people see that great a difference in the screens. The question then, is why? I can think of three reasons.

The size of the screen.

How close people hold the screen to their eyeballs.

To borrow a phrase from Jane Austen, differences in visual sense--and sensibilities.